CKI Structure
The structure of Circle K International (CKI) strongly resembles Kiwanis International, although there are a few differences. CKI uses a three-tier system of the club level, the district level and the international level to organize its leadership. Only dues paid CKI members may run for office on any of the levels. Each level has a corresponding Kiwanis level that provides guidance and administrative support. The Club Level The club level consists of club members, the club board of officers, the Kiwanis advisor and the faculty advisor. Every officer in CKI (no matter what level he or she is serving on) is a member of a CKI club and must pay dues to that club to be considered an active member. The club level is the core structure of Circle K International and does the majority of the service. Club leaders are responsible for finding service projects and developing a sense of community within the club, while club members perform the service hours and engage with each other in the club. Clubs meet regularly, often weekly, to discuss past events and future events, as well as to partake in various service activities. A club level is led by the club president, who serves as the executive officer of the club board. He or she is elected prior to his or her term, which begins April 1st and ends March 30th of the following year. The District Level The district level encompasses several clubs within one or several states. The structure of districts differ from area to area, but most districts either use a Lieutenant Governor (LtG) system or a Club Representative (Club Rep) system. Both will be discussed here. Districts consist of club reps or LtGs, an executive board of officers and the Kiwanis Committee. Most districts also have committee chair positions, which are appointed positions. The district level is responsible for the operations of a district. Some districts encompass multiple states (example: Southwest), while other districts only encompass one state (example: New York). Districts also have varying experiences and operate very differently from one another. Lieutenant Governors (LtGs) The LtG System is the most common form of organization on the District Level. Lieutenant Governors represent multiple clubs in one geographic area, which is called a division. There can be as few as 2 and as many as 8-9 clubs within a division. Lieutenant Governors are responsible for representing and speaking for these clubs on the district level. Lieutenant Governors are also responsible for relaying district information to club officers and club members. Club Representatitives (Club Rep) Some Districts use a Club Rep system, where each club has a representative (usually the club president) that speaks on behalf of the club as a whole. Districts who use this system tend to be geographically smaller than most districts, such as the Michigan district. The Club Representative System and Lieutenant Governor System both have benefits and detriments. For larger districts, where a Club Rep System would be too big to handle, a Lieutenant Governor system might work better. However, the Club Representative System allows clubs to speak directly with district officers. Districts are led by a District Governor, who serves as the executive officer of the District Board. She or he is responsible for presiding over district events, running District Board Meetings and promoting district news as well as international news. The International Level For more information, please see International Board. The International Level of CKI encompasses all the districts and members within Circle K International. It is often deemed the "highest level" of CKI, but is also considered the level with the most administrative work. The International Level is responsible for managing the CKI Governing Documents, overseeing International Events, and providing resources and materials to the general CKI membership. The International Level is also responsible for setting goals year by year. Unlike the club and district levels, whose officers start from April 1st and end on March 30th of the following year, International Officers start at the end of the International Convention they were elected in and end in the International Convention the year after. This means that International Officers traditionally service on a June to June basis. This is because International Officers are elected in the summer, as opposed to before the CKI administrative year. The International Board of Officers consists of an International President, an International Vice President and eight International Trustees. The role of the International Trustee is similar to a Lieutenant Governor; they oversee several districts and represent these districts on the International Level. A group of districts in the same geographic area is called a Subregion. For example, Subregion F consists of Northeast America and Eastern Canada. There are seven subregions in all. The International Board is advised by a CKI Director and a Kiwanis International Councilor, who is also an International Trustee of Kiwanis. Category:Leadership Category:Positions